Chapter 8

I ran.

Fast. Hard. Too hard. My breath was all wrong—sharp, shallow, barely even getting in—but I didn’t care.

I couldn’t care.

My nails dug into my palms, deep enough that I knew there’d be marks, maybe even blood, but it didn’t matter. None of it mattered.

Ryan’s words still burned. Careless.

Like I was some reckless idiot. Like I hadn’t been fighting. Like I hadn’t almost died.

And my father—my own father—had told him that. Had handed him the words like a weapon, let him throw them at me like they meant nothing.

Like I meant nothing.

I could barely see straight as I tore through the trees, my pulse pounding so hard it felt like my skull might crack open. 

I was marching to father's room. I had to see him. He needed to explain this. 

I always thought he hated me, but this was too much. 

I had to find him. Had to make him understand.

And then—

I stopped.

Just like that. Everything inside me screeched to a halt so fast I felt like I might collapse.

Ryan.

Kneeling.

Beside Crystal.

My father stood above them, hands raised, voice steady, saying words I couldn’t hear. Words I didn’t need to hear.

Because I knew.

I knew exactly what was happening.

My stomach turned over.

No.

The pain hit me hard, harder than ever. 

Ryan’s head was bowed. He wasn’t looking. Wasn’t moving.

Crystal was next to him, glowing, her stupid, soft little smile in place, her eyes bright. Like this was already hers.

And my father—

The man who had just called me careless—

Was right there, giving them his blessing.

Something twisted inside me so violently I thought I might be sick.

No.

No, no, no, no, no.

For a moment I just froze. My body turned against me, my feet refusing to move, like if I so much as shifted, the ground would swallow me whole.

Ryan didn’t look up. Didn’t see me. Didn’t feel me.

And that—

That was what broke me.

The corner of my eyes began heating up. And soon a few drops of tears escaped from my eyes rolling down my cheeks. 

I sucked in a deep and low breath. Too shaky. Too uneven. Too weak.

No.

Not here. Not in front of them.

I forced my spine straight. Swallowed back the raw, splintering thing in my throat. Shoved it down so far it felt like I might choke on it.

Then, without a word, I turned.

Walked.

Not running. Not breaking. Not letting them see.

And the fire inside me?

It didn’t go out.

It raged.

No! I must see father. Now or never. I took it another deep breath turning back to his room. I had to watch through it. 

I walked back and  stood there.

Waiting.

Waiting for it to be over.

Waiting for this intense pain to go away. 

I should’ve left. I should’ve left.

The second I saw them kneeling. The second I realized what was happening. I should’ve turned around and walked away before this moment could burn itself into my soul like a scar that would never fade.

But I didn’t. I had to see father. 

I just stood there. Silent. Frozen. Dying inside.

My father’s voice rang out, loud and sure, sealing their fate with every word.

Sealing mine.

The room erupted in applause.

Crystal smiled.

Ryan didn’t move. Didn’t even look up.

And me?

I broke.

But I didn’t cry.

Didn’t run.

Didn’t let them see what this was doing to me.

I just turned.

I waited to Crystal and Ryan walked away from the room and then I marched straight to my father.

"Why?" The word ripped out of me, raw and sharp, almost a growl.

He barely looked at me. "Not now, Aria."

Not now.

My breath hitched. 

"You told Ryan I was careless," I spat. "Why would you say that? Why would you tell him that?"

A slow, tired sigh. Like I was the exhausting one. Like I was the one making a scene over nothing.

"Because you were," he said, like it was just a fact. "Running into rogue territory alone—"

"I wasn’t running into rogue territory!" My voice shot up, shaking at the edges. "I was—" I sucked in a breath, trying—failing—to steady myself. "I was trying to breathe."

His face didn’t change. Didn’t soften. Didn’t care.

"It was reckless."

That was it.

That was all it took.

Something inside me cracked.

"You ruined everything," I choked out, my whole body trembling. "You ruined my chance at love."

Silence.

He just stood there.

Unmoving. Unfazed. Like this meant nothing to him.

And then, barely above a whisper—

"Ryan is my mate."

There. I said it. Finally. The truth. The thing that had been clawing at my throat this whole time.

He didn’t blink. Didn’t even look surprised. His face didn't change a little. 

Wait… did he know? No father can't… could he? 

"You knew," I whispered, a horrible, sinking feeling spreading through me, thick and suffocating.

His gaze met mine, steady. Cold.

"Yes."

The air left my lungs. My heart sank in despair. 

No.

No, no, no, no, no.

"You knew?" My voice cracked. "You knew, and you still let this happen? You still—"

"As your father, I can detect your mate’s scent," he said, flat and emotionless. 

Doesn't he love me, even a little? 

"You knew," I whispered, barely able to get the words out, "and you still gave her to him?"

He didn’t flinch. 

"Crystal is the better choice," he said, like it was that simple. "She is stable. She is obedient. She will not cause unnecessary chaos."

He said with ease, like Crystal was his real daughter. 

Something snapped.

A sharp, ragged breath tore through me. My vision blurred. My world tilted beneath my feet.

And just like that—

Whatever was left of me shattered.

The tears were threatening to escape. But I couldnt let him see it. 

I can't be weak in front of him. 

I dashed out of his room at once running into a few bodies , but I couldnt care right now. 

I was almost to my room, when my knees buckled and I collapsed to the floor. 

I let the tears flow, I was tired of everything.